I just wanted to comment on the decent job Hawk did today. He gets a lot of flack (and deservedly so) about his complaining about calls, but I want to comment on what he does really well. I really enjoy when he gets into long conversations about the development of the game - today talking about the inside pitch and the outside zone.

While I know he has gone off on the inside-pitch tangent before, he also had some pretty insightful things to say earlier in the season regarding different woods in bats. I think he really is at his best when he analyzes the minutiae of the game that someone who has never played professionally would know. It made an otherwise miserable game enjoyable.

esbrechtel

05-27-2008, 10:48 PM

I especially loved when he discussed the differences between the laces throughout basesball's history.

Optipessimism

05-27-2008, 11:12 PM

I just wanted to comment on the decent job Hawk did today. He gets a lot of flack (and deservedly so) about his complaining about calls, but I want to comment on what he does really well. I really enjoy when he gets into long conversations about the development of the game - today talking about the inside pitch and the outside zone.

While I know he has gone off on the inside-pitch tangent before, he also had some pretty insightful things to say earlier in the season regarding different woods in bats. I think he really is at his best when he analyzes the minutiae of the game that someone who has never played professionally would know. It made an otherwise miserable game enjoyable.

The problem is he analyzes the same things 162 times per year. He's fabulous with the big calls, especially in come-from-behind scenarios, but my god, Stone as an alternative is so refreshing.

Nellie_Fox

05-28-2008, 12:01 AM

The problem is he analyzes the same things 162 times per year.This is why I'm glad I get a whole new batch of students every semester. I have only so many stories to tell. I get really good student evaluations now; if I had to teach the same people for twenty years, I'm sure they'd be throwing crap at me.

BlackHat91

05-28-2008, 01:54 AM

I've noticed that the older people get (myself included) the more you hear the same stories. And I'm only 27. On occasion my girlfriend will be like "yeah, I know that one already". Seems that the best stories are made in the younger ages (20's and 30's) and then retold throughout the later stages (40+).

Optipessimism

05-28-2008, 02:00 AM

This is why I'm glad I get a whole new batch of students every semester. I have only so many stories to tell. I get really good student evaluations now; if I had to teach the same people for twenty years, I'm sure they'd be throwing crap at me.
You obviously have a point there, but don't you think you're a little more confined than Hawk is considering you have to stick to a syllabus while Hawk can basically, and does, talk about whatever the hell he wants to? I mean at any given moment, on any given play, there several are other things he can discuss. For example, the manager. He hardly ever questions what Ozzie's thinking, he just comments on what Ozzie does. And he hardly ever comments on pitch sequences in previous at-bats as another example. He ignores such a wide part of the game to tell the same old stories, and while the stories are nice once in awhile, I prefer the stick to the game approach, because the game is always moving along, it's always changing and evolving, and if you stick to the present happenings and the present players and stories of past situations that are kept brief enough to be applicable to the present situation before it changes again, you can hardly become boring. I love Hawk for his passion and famous calls, but I'm so glad we have Stone because Stone, even though he's not as exciting, does all of the above very, very well.

I don't know what's more annoying, the fact that Hawk makes the same points with the same stories about the same players on a game-to-game basis or the fact that he's got that little parrot on his shoulder agreeing with everything he says and prefacing his agreements with stuff like "it's funny you bring that up, Hawk." What do you mean it's funny that he brought that up? He brought it up 3 times this series!

Also, I'd bet that if MLB banned the maple bats, which is one of Hawk's favorite topics and has been such for quite awhile now, ten years afterwards he'd still be telling the same stories about how bad the maple bats were, and how in the old days, maple bats weren't prevalent, but then they became the fashionable thing around baseball because they make the ball travel further, but then they were banned, and dad gummit, it's a good thing too.

ode to veeck

05-29-2008, 01:18 PM

Hawk is best when someone else is doing the game

btrain929

05-29-2008, 01:27 PM

I love when Hawk complains about calls, because us as fans are doing the same thing. When there's a bad break or an error, he's not gonna act like it didn't happen. He's going to voice his opinion on it.

Irishsox1

05-29-2008, 01:30 PM

Hawk is been calling the Sox for 18 straight years. He's not perfect but he's very easy to digest plus I still like his strike out and homerun calls.

It took me a long time to get over the hatred I had for him as a GM, in one year he fired Tony LaRussa, stuck Fisk in left field and traded Bobby Bonilla. For years anytime I would see his face on TV, I would get pissed.

whitesox901

05-29-2008, 05:55 PM

why does DJ always take over after the 4th inning? my dad (cubs fan) says either "Hawks probably taking a ****" or "He's getting another drink". Stupid comments I know, but what is the deal anyway?

Daver

05-29-2008, 06:01 PM

Hawk is best when someone else is doing the game

I agree with this whole heartedly.

SoxGirl4Life

05-29-2008, 06:07 PM

why does DJ always take over after the 4th inning? my dad (cubs fan) says either "Hawks probably taking a ****" or "He's getting another drink". Stupid comments I know, but what is the deal anyway?

i think the theory is that it gives DJ some experience as play by play and also gives Hawk a break..

Madscout

05-29-2008, 06:13 PM

Hawk is best when someone else is doing the game
Which is why Stone would be a perfect fit for him. I don't mind DJ, but he doesn't bring anything to the broadcast. Hawk tries to be a play by play man and a color man, and the only guy I've heard that could do that is Bob Uecker.

MarySwiss

05-29-2008, 06:13 PM

Hawk is best when someone else is doing the game

I agree with this whole heartedly.

I don't. I admit I find his tendency to automatically assume we'll lose if we're facing CC or--God forbid!--"The Gambler"--but I have the MLB.TV package. And listening to some of the other teams' guys has made me appreciate Hawk and DJ even more.

Or just listen to the team from the other side of town; the "Pump Sunshine..." Boys.

kitekrazy

05-29-2008, 09:43 PM

He's the perfect homer. That's what they want these days. Having Stone on the broadcast team may be a bad thing. I just don't care for Hawk and DJ anymore. Funny how I couldn't stand Stone when he was with the Cubs until he ticked off a few of their cry babies.

Lorenzo Barcelo

05-29-2008, 09:53 PM

Hawk was ranting today about the Rays stealing bases and how "they may run into the wrong team" as in another team will retaliate for them stealing bases like the way they were today. I honestly didn't see anything wrong with what the Rays were doing today. Our pitchers weren't checking the runners so they just took off. Any other opinions?

slavko

05-29-2008, 10:01 PM

Hawk was ranting today about the Rays stealing bases and how "they may run into the wrong team" as in another team will retaliate for them stealing bases like the way they were today. I honestly didn't see anything wrong with what the Rays were doing today. Our pitchers weren't checking the runners so they just took off. Any other opinions?

I heard the same and was amazed at Hawk's suggestion that a pitcher would "kneecap" one of the Rays' speedsters in retaliation. Has he lost it mentally? Are stolen bases no longer part of the game? Or holding runners? Or having a catcher who can throw a baseball?

Hawk: THINK!

Lorenzo Barcelo

05-29-2008, 10:03 PM

I heard the same and was amazed at Hawk's suggestion that a pitcher would "kneecap" one of the Rays' speedsters in retaliation. Has he lost it mentally? Are stolen bases no longer part of the game? Or holding runners? Or having a catcher who can throw a baseball?

Hawk: THINK!

Also, it wasn't like the Rays were up 14-1 and were stealing. There were only down by 4. So I didn't get the argument he was making at all.

ChiSox89

05-29-2008, 10:05 PM

for every game i turn down the tv and turn up the radio for stoney and farmer. stoney is so funny and is a much better upgrade then singleton. hawk and dj get old after a while.

Pear-Zin-Ski

05-29-2008, 10:09 PM

I heard a lot about "long" and "rip it and grip it" tonite from the booth...whats up with that?

hahahaa....

tick53

05-29-2008, 10:28 PM

Hawk was at his best a long time ago, but he's still our Hawkaroo.

slavko

05-30-2008, 10:22 AM

I heard a lot about "long" and "rip it and grip it" tonite from the booth...whats up with that?

hahahaa....

Grip it and rip it. A golf term. Like tee it high and let it fly. Rip it and grip it could mean something entirely different that I don't even want to think about.

kitekrazy

05-30-2008, 10:32 AM

I heard the same and was amazed at Hawk's suggestion that a pitcher would "kneecap" one of the Rays' speedsters in retaliation. Has he lost it mentally? Are stolen bases no longer part of the game? Or holding runners? Or having a catcher who can throw a baseball?

Hawk: THINK!

Maybe it's time for mandatory drug testing with announcers.

jdm2662

05-30-2008, 02:15 PM

Hawk was ranting today about the Rays stealing bases and how "they may run into the wrong team" as in another team will retaliate for them stealing bases like the way they were today. I honestly didn't see anything wrong with what the Rays were doing today. Our pitchers weren't checking the runners so they just took off. Any other opinions?

Seriously?

Just another reason why the guy can't leave the booth soon enough.

Pear-Zin-Ski

05-30-2008, 02:37 PM

The pro-Cubs portion of WGN's 670 The Score broadcast had some amusing comments and trickery about Hawk...they played a clip of him bitching about the strikezone as in "Boy...thats a long plate...." and they commented that he might as well have been talking about a mile long spaghetti buffet....

Pretty damn funny for Pro-Cubs bull****....

soxfan13

05-30-2008, 02:42 PM

I love when Hawk complains about calls, because us as fans are doing the same thing. When there's a bad break or an error, he's not gonna act like it didn't happen. He's going to voice his opinion on it.

But when Ron Santo does it hes an idiot. We cant have it both ways. I think the Hawk goes way overboard in his bitches and rants.

hi im skot

05-30-2008, 02:50 PM

Hawk was ranting today about the Rays stealing bases and how "they may run into the wrong team" as in another team will retaliate for them stealing bases like the way they were today. I honestly didn't see anything wrong with what the Rays were doing today. Our pitchers weren't checking the runners so they just took off. Any other opinions?

I think Hawk was just suggesting that if the Rays get stolen base-happy during a blowout, they might piss off a hot-headed pitcher.

It's, in essence, like running up the score...people don't take too kindly to that.

However, it's unlikely that anything like Hawk described would happen.

PatK

05-30-2008, 03:16 PM

Which is why Stone would be a perfect fit for him. I don't mind DJ, but he doesn't bring anything to the broadcast. Hawk tries to be a play by play man and a color man, and the only guy I've heard that could do that is Bob Uecker.

Hawk neutralizes DJ.

DJ is pretty good when he does FOX games- it's like it's not even the same guy.

beasly213

05-30-2008, 03:28 PM

Hawk neutralizes DJ.

DJ is pretty good when he does FOX games- it's like it's not even the same guy.

I'm sorry but DJ is never good. Here is my impression of DJ:

"You know Hawk when I was with the Tomoko Dragons the pitchers would bow because they were so respectful to the American's coming in."

"You know when I played in Japan the crowd was much more wild then they are here in the states and it is a lot harder to concentrate."

"You know when I played for the Dragons my manager Yengoshi Yosi told me that I have to hustle on every play. That is just how they do it in Japan."

Hawk may get old sometimes with his repetitive stories but at least his stories are often relative to the game or the situation. Plus he has an announcers voice which DJ does not have at all.

Hawk is at his best as an announcer I think when the Sox are up big and he starts to tell baseball stories and how they releate to todays game.

When the Sox are down big he is at his worst because he likes to pout.

comiskey2000

05-30-2008, 03:37 PM

DJ does not sound like the hundreds of professional announcers we hear every year. He simply does not have the verbal skill to do this kind of thing every day. In addition, Hawk's comments about the Rays getting hurt becuase they were stealing too many bases yestedray were a joke. AJ can not throw runners out is what he should stay. I very happy with my decision to turn up the score when I am watching TV or simply put it on mute.

infohawk

05-30-2008, 04:01 PM

I've always thought that, even if I decided not to follow Sox games or check the standings, I would be able to tell how they were playing just by keeping track of how often Hawk gets criticized. It seems that when the Sox aren't playing well, the long knives come out for how Hawk calls games, including his "Hawkisms." When the Sox are playing well, the criticism largely subsides.